LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 281, 22 August 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The weather yesterday was so clear and bright that bathers flocked the beach at Lyall Bay so long as the sun shone. One partv of three or tour, which went into the "water halfway through the afternoon, stayed in lor quite half au houi, and seemed reluctant, to leave the breakers, which seemed to indicate that tho temperature of the water could not have been as it usually is in August. Many had thoir surf boards out, and sported on them for almost as long as they would were it mid-summer. It was suggested that the intense heat that has been experienced all over the northern hemisphere in July may account for some change in sea temperatures, and may jxirtend a warm summer in the south during the cowing suniwer.

Selections were played by the Iramways Band at the hospital grounds yesterday afternoon, and a collection taken ■yp (u aid of the funds of the institution realised tho sum of .£8 15s. „

In tho course of his speech at the annual dinner of the combined bakers ami pastrv cooks on Saturday evening, Mr. G Mitchell, M.P., said that at Bapaumo he had 89 Maoris in his command, and there was a battalion, or moic of Americans in. the lino close to them. Tho Americans could not, understand the New Zealand manner of treating the Maoris, whom they spoke of as coons. The Maoris, or rather. some of tnem, were in an estaminct having a drink, and some of the American soldiers were there. They told the Maoris not to come drinking there next day, as that was "Independence Day.” "What day s that ? asked one of the Maoris. "That is the day we drove tho British into tho sea," responded Die American- "That so, remarked tho Maori. "That’s the day Hie Maori throw the 'Merican out of the window."

A suggestion has been made by Mr. T. M. Wilford, who recently returned from a tour of tho United States, that Australia and New Zealand might combine in a successful effort to wrest the America Cup, tho most famous of all yachting trophies, from the Americans. "Australia and Now Zealand,” Mr. Wilford told a reporter, "are not known in America as they should be, and, apart fiom the sporting side of the challenge, . the publicity which would certainly lie given to tho project would "undoubtedly bo of the very greatest value to these countries. I cannot see any insurmountable difficulties, and at least tho challenge would let' the Americans know where Australia and New Zealand are. I am willing to give a substantial subscription if tho’ idea is taken up. I believe that such a yacht as would be required to sail from New Zealand to America could be built at Auckland, could the money bo found. New Zealand could easily find a crew for such a boat, and what a sensation would bo caused if the hero of Jutland, Lord Jellicoe, could be persuaded to take command! I submitted tho proposal to the editor of a leading newspaper in Los Angeles. He was very much taken with the idea, and asked mo to put the suggestion in writing, so that, in the event of anything coming of it in New Zealand, he could start American Press work right away.

On Saturday tho Registrar of Patents gave his decision in a case of much interest to persons connected with electric heating installations. An application for patent No. 4-1503 was lodged by David Webb for an improved electrio water heater. The application was opposed by Lloyd Mandeno, borough engineer, Tauranga, on the ground that he, and not Webb, has invented the apparatus, nnd that before the date of the application, for a patent, the 1I jy on " tion had been publicly used in Tauranga. The registrar decider! the case on the latter ground', and refused Webb s application, with .£l5 15s. costs. At the hearing Messrs. Baldwin and Rayward appeared fr the applicant and Messis. Higgs and O’Donnell for tho opponent. During the last fortnight the residents of Lower Hutt have been annoyed by visits, mainly nocturnal, from a man who Jias either solicited or demanded monev or accommodation. The police have boon on the look-out for the offender, and on Friday night they apprehended! a mnn named William Seymour Eaton, alias John ITorrigan. Eaton appeared before Messrs. G. A. Chapman and W. N. Dempsey, J.P.’s, at a sitting of the Lower Hutt Court on Saturday on a charge of being an incorrigible rogue, and was sentenced to six months imprisonment Tho Scots College Cadets are looking forward with interest to the barracks which are to bo held at the college during the next four days. Tho work of tho cadets is already of a high standard, and tho military discipline io which they will be subjected during tho barracks should tend to increase materially the efficiency of tho company. Tho course of instruction, as outlined by Captain Donaldson, N.Z.S.C., who is taking command, includes varied and interesting work in the three branches of military training—physical drill, musketry and infantry drill. In tho evenings a series of lectures will be delivered on camp hygiene, etc. The aim of the barracks is not only to increase the esprit de corps so essential to a. cadet company, but also to impress tho boys with a truer idea of the responsibilities of citizenship. In the divorce case Effie Murska Amelin Rider v. John Neil Reardtm Rider, petitioner was reported as having said: “Rider even sold my furniture.” Mrs. Rider states that what she stated in evidence was that "Mr. Rider removed! what furniture belonged to him." He did not remove tho furniture given her by her father. Further subscriptions to the Technical College Fund are acknowledged as follows:—John Newton and Co., .£25; Wellington Wholesale Soft Goods Employees' Association, .£25; Messrs. Henry Berry and Co., of Dixon Street, .£5O. The Government’s decision that the Pan-Pacific Science Congress shall not be invited to meet in New Zealand in 1923 was referred to regretfully by Dr. C. Chilton, Rector of Canterbury College, at tho meeting of tho Canterbury Employers’ Association. He said that at tho congress in Honolulu a wish was expressed that New Zealand should bo the site of tho next congress. It was thought that the selection of the Dominion would bo particularly appropriate, as the Australasian Society for the Advancement oi Science would meet in Wellington that year, and it was thought that the Pan-Pacific Congress could meet in Auckland, and that scientists attending it could go on to Wellington. Those who wished to see the South Island then could do so. Tho expenses of the PanPacific Congress would lie only .£2OOO or .£3OOO, but tho Government, for sonm reason. turned tho proposal down. If fhc next congress was not held in New Zealand it probably would be held in Japan, as the Japanese delegates were extremely anxious that it should lie held in their country.

According to the Oamaru "Mail,” the sowing of wheat has now been nearly, if not entirely, completed in North Otago, and the total area under this cereal is greatly in advance of that of last year. By precisely how much the area "has been increased it is impossible to say, nnd the estimates of those who are entitled to speak with authority vary a good deal. The aggregate increase in the area under wheat this year is about GO per cent, over that of last year’s total. The total area under wheat last year was between 18,000 and 20,000 acres. If, says the "Mail,” we add GO per cent, to’ the average of those figures wet get in round numbers 30,000 acres as approximately the area now under wheat. We are satisfied that that estimate is not far wide of the mark. It is. wo may say tn conclusion, n great, many years since wheat was to largely cultivated in the Waitaki county."

The shifts people are put to in finding quarters owing to the scarcity of houses in Auckland was shown by the story related by a returned, soldier to Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., at tho Magistrate’s Court at Auckland last -week. He stated he bought a house through the Government, but could not get possession. He had not. been long married, and at present was paying A‘2 10s. per week lx>ard and lodging for his wife in one place, and 30s. a week for himself in another house. Ho was also paying storage on his furniture elsewhere. The marriage only took place last April. Mr. Inder raised iho question that the notice given was insufficient. Mr. Bundle said, apart from the legal question, his sympathies were with the plaintiff. He considered defendant had not acted in a fair and reasonable manner. The Court's duty wns- to give substantial justice, and not to be saddled by technicalities. Hei would adjourn the matter for a week to consider the point raised, but must admit his view was in favour of the owner getting possession of the house.

It is unusual for a jury in a criminal case to spend more than four hours in trying to come to a decision, for at the expiry of that time a disagreement is accepted. At Auckland on Thursday, however, a jury voluntarily stayed out for an hour and a half longer, in the hope of reaching a settlement, and when it returned at ten minutes past nine the foreman expressed regret that there was no possible chance of agreement. He added that tho jury would have liked for tho Judge’s sake to have come to a decision, and it had tried every loophole, but without success. _ Mr. Justice Adams said there was nothing to do but to thank the jury for its services and to discharge it. Tho issue of cigarettes to soldier patients at King George Hospital, Rotorua, and at the t.b. shelters in the Auckland Domain, is to bo discontinued by the Red Cross Joint Committee. This was decided upon at a meeting of the committee on Thursday, in compliance with instructions issued by tho DirectorGeneral of Medical Forces, Sir Dbnald M'Gavin. The restriction upon smoking doos not extend to pipes, however, and the surplus stock of cigarettes at Rotorua is to bo exchanged for tobacco. The ban will be lifted in respect to the men at the Evelyn Firth Home, although limitation of cigarette supplies was hinted at. In any case, it was reported that only four of the men at tho home were cigarettesmokers. Ono or two members of the committee were opposed to the curtailment of the smoking l privileges of the men in the t.b. shelters, but tho majority of members were in favour of complying with the request of tho authorities. There was rather a mean sequel on Thuisday to a mean theft at Devonport. A resident left his pocket-book containing some bank notes: in the smoking compartment oi' one of the ferry boats early on Wednesday afternoon. By the time he discovered h-is loss and made a search the wallet had disappeared. The following morning, when his next-door neighbour, who knew nothing of the loss, went to her letter-box to collect hei mail, she found the pocket-book reposing on the top of her letters. She immediately discovered the owner’s name, and returned the property. Naturally the first thing the owner did was to see if tho money was there. It was gone. The finder naturally resented the somewhat invidious position in which the thief had placed her by this thoughtless action. He might just as easily have thrown the wallet into the owner’s garden next door. —"Star.”

One of the Canterbury College roysterers on Friday morning performed an act which might have been taken from a picture thrill (says a Chnstchurch. exchange). The company were at the time invading the Beresford buildings and there were weird figures all round the locality. Ono hopped on to n- Passing tramcar in Colombo Street, and climbed to tho roof. Another car came along in an opposite direction, and this foolhardy individual jumped from one car to the roof of the other while both were in motion. He reached the street level safely. Fortune in this case certainlj favoured the foolish.

Tho charge-sheet of the Magistrate s Court on Saturday contained the names only of three first offenders, who was charged with insobriety and did not put in an appearance. They had each deposited 10s. to obtain their liberty soon, after arrest, and these amounts were forfeited.